This invention relates to a domestic elbow fitting used primarily to divert water through a filter unit or the like, it being a general object of this invention to provide a beautified cost effective double use elbow fitting base part. With the present disparity between domestic and foreign labor costs, it becomes extremely difficult for domestic manufacturers to be competitive when the product involved is labor intensive. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to minimize the time involved in and/or to eliminate manufacturing steps that entail labor. Additionally, material cost is a most important factor, it being an object of this invention to employ inexpensive round bar stock that eliminates the need for exterior machining. Also, production machine tools employed with conventional collets are employed, rather than requiring special collets, as is the case with the prior art use of specially extruded bar stock cross sections.
Due to the growing unreliability of water supply systems, there is a growing market and need for domestic water filters, both under the counter and above the counter types. This invention is particularly concerned with the latter, with combined obectives to enhance appearance and to minimize unit cost.
Above the counter filters stand on the kitchen counter adjacent to the sink, and are connected to the faucet by means of a diverter valve; reference being made to my U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,589 entitled LOW COST RETURN DIVERTER VALVE issued Jan. 28, 1992. When this diverter valve is actuated, water is channeled through the filter by means of inlet and outlet elbow fittings and dispensed through a spout. The water inlet fitting is typically a barb fitting, while heretofore the outlet fitting has been a standard compression fitting. That is, these elbow fittings vary in purpose and are characterized by distinguishable features. Heretofore, the elbow fittings used for the purpose under consideration have been adaptations of standard prior art hydraulic fittings, which are basically designed for high pressure applications, with no attempt made toward beautification, except for plating them. These prior art elbow fittings are unecessarily designed to withstand pressures at and above 300 P.S.I., whereas the discharge pressure through this filter and spout combination is negligable.
The particular fittings under consideration are decorative barb elbows and spout elbows, which heretofore have been made from specially extruded brass stock of angular rectilinear cross sections (see FIG. 6). The angularly related ends of the prior art fittings require separate chuck and machine operations on standard equipment, or such operations combined into a multipurpose dedicated machine. This decorative fitting is either a barb elbow fitting or a swivel spout elbow fitting, characterized by an ornamental 1/2 inch pipe thread part common to both configurations. The angular part of the barb elbow presents a 0.220 inch diameter barb to receive and anchor a water hose. And the angular part of the swivel spout elbow presents a right cylinder spout mount. Compression fittings are not used herein, since they cannot be swiveled when tightened, a decided disadvantage.
In accordance with this invention, the common base part of these elbow fittings is made from 9/16 inch diameter brass bar stock which is blind drilled, threaded and cut off, using for example an Acme Gridely Multi Spindle Screw Machine. The barb and spout mount members of the elbows are of rolled or extruded brass, and requires but two screw machine operations, the exterior barb configuration and the drilled interior. A blind cross hole is drilled into the base part for either the barb or for the spout mount, for example on a computer controlled Hardinge Chucker, and the two parts pressed into asssembled relation in the one machine set up.
In carrying out this invention, round bar stock is employed in order to eliminate exterior material waste, with a comensurate cost savings. Exterior machining and waste is thereby eliminated. And further, round bar stock is less expensive than specially extruded solid angular cross sectioned bar stock, and renders an oramental part.
A return diverter valve is employed, as shown, to direct faucet water through a filter unit and from a swiveled discharge spout. It is the filter base which is used to mount the barb elbow fitting connected by a hose from the diverter valve on the kitchen sink faucet and to mount the spout elbow for filtered water discharge. A manual valve control is accessible at one side of the diverter valve.
It is an object of this invention to provide a cost effective and ornamental elbow fitting having the features of either a barb inlet water fitting or a spout mount water outlet fitting. In carrying out this invention, the unsightly utilitarian appearance of standard prior art elbow fittings is replaced with unique and improved elbow fittings of enhanced ornamental value.